Abstract Fish are treated routinely with antibiotics to prevent, treat, or control diseases. One consequence of the use of antibiotics in aquaculture is the presence of residues of the drug in the edible tissues of the treated fish, as well as environmental hazards. Another potential consequence is the exposure of the human consumer to resistant bacteria. Regulatory frameworks have concerns about the use of veterinary drugs, including antibiotics in aquaculture, and one of these concerns is that it does not lead to residues in fish. However, effective analytical methods are required to rapidly and accurately detect, quantify, and confirm antibiotic residues in food aiming to verify that regulatory standards have been fulfilled and have avoided the appearance of antibiotic resistant bacteria in aquaculture environments, in the decrease of antibiotic resistance in fish pathogens, and in the avoid the transfer of these resistance determinants to bacteria of other animals and to human pathogens. This review summarizes the current knowledge and concerns about antibiotics residues and resistant bacteria in aquaculture, including the main techniques of analysis and what has been studied around the world. Researchers, policy makers, governments, and aquaculture industries must invest and collaborate in exchanging critical information and developing targeted policies that are practical, effective, and enforceable in order to adequately understand and prevent the impacts of the antibiotics use in aquaculture.
Keyword: Antibiotic Residues, Resistant Bacteria, Aquaculture.